The Beasts' Carnival (1980)
"El carnaval de las bestias" (original title)

A hit man working for the Yakuza double crosses his employers and flees with a cache of diamonds from the latest heist. Injured and hiding in the mountain regions of Spain, with Japanease ... See full summary »

Director:

Paul Naschy

Writer:

Paul Naschy

Stars:

Paul Naschy, Eiko Nagashima, Lautaro Murúa

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Naschy	...	Bruno Rivera
Eiko Nagashima	...	Mieko
Lautaro Murúa	...	Don Simón
Silvia Aguilar	...	Mónica
Azucena Hernández	...	Alicia
Kogi Maritugu	...	Taro (as Kogi Maritugu)
Roxana Dupre	...	Raquel (as Roxana Dipre)
Pepe Ruiz	...	Don Serafín
Paloma Hurtado	...	Woman dressed as Marie Antoinette
Luis Ciges	...	El Palanqueta
Ricardo Palacios	...	Don Carmelo, the priest
Rafael Hernández	...	Man dressed as Superman
Tito García	...	Compinche de El Palanqueta
Ramón Centenero
Alexia Loreto	...	Ramona

Storyline

A hit man working for the Yakuza double crosses his employers and flees with a cache of diamonds from the latest heist. Injured and hiding in the mountain regions of Spain, with Japanease assassins in hot pursuit, he takes refuge in the home of a local Doctor and his two daughters, who nurse him back to health and hide him from his pursuers, taking drastic and murderous measures to him, for they have plans of their own in store for their current guest.

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Plot Keywords:

african woman | s&m | naked dead woman | female nudity | black woman | 

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Genres:

Horror | Crime

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Details

Country:

Spain Japan

Language:

Spanish Japanese

Release Date:

3 December 1980 (Spain)

Also Known As:

The Beasts' Carnival

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dálmata Films S.A., Hori Kikaku Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

User Reviews

Tries to do too many things

The incomparable Paul Naschy, horror film icon of Spain, lends his talents to this entertaining if not scattershot film. What begins as an action flick ends up a horror story. All I can say is just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Paul Naschy plays a cold-hearted hit-man hired by some shady Japanese diamond hunters (one of which is his flame who is carrying his child) to swipe a cache of diamonds from a Belgian businessman. When the deed is done, the allure of the diamonds is too tempting for Paul to dismiss so he kills his Japanese cohorts. His girlfriend, whose brother Paul killed, vows revenge and chases Paul through the forest, shooting him up and leaving him for dead. However, Paul is found by an egghead with two horny daughters and brought to his estate to recuperate.

At the estate, the two daughters, Silvia Aguilar and Azucena Hernandez, fight for Paul in his weakened state, with the busty Silvia Aguilar determined not to lose out to the sweet and prim Azucena. But things get hairy for Mr. Naschy who begins to see the ghost of the daughter's long dead mother on the estate grounds. Couple this with the Japanese lass looking to finish the job of killing Paul and he gets pulled from two sides.

STORY: $$ (The story goes a number of ways and doesn't fully satisfy. The script builds up a fight for Paul between the daughters but Silvia, whose character seems assertive and volatile, simply lets Azucena win in the Paul Naschy sweepstakes without putting up a fight. Personally, I would have preferred the ghostly apparition story to the revenge seeking of the Japanese woman)

VIOLENCE: $$$ (You get gunplay, a blown-up babe and pigs eating some poor schmuck alive. Gore hounds will not be letdown with this Naschy flick).

ACTING: $$$ (Paul Naschy, as always, is fun to watch but he does spend a bit too much time in bed recovering from his wounds. Starring with him again are the luscious Silvia Aguilar and the beautiful Azucena Hernandez, who teamed with Mr. Naschy in the little gem "The Craving." Both girls do a fine job).

NUDITY: $$$ (You get very brief glimpses of both Aguilar and Hernandez but they are strategically placed, keeping the naught bits covered. Full nudity is supplied by the two lesser appealing actresses: the Japanese woman chasing Paul and the African maid that works for Silvia and Azucena).